Donaldson: If Red Sox writers covered the Patriots . . .

. . . then all we’d be hearing during training camp this summer is how first-round draft choice Dominique Easley is going to be an all-pro defensive lineman this season as a rookie.

By Jim Donaldson

. . . then all we’d be hearing during training camp this summer is how first-round draft choice Dominique Easley is going to be an all-pro defensive lineman this season as a rookie.

Wasn’t Jackie Bradley Jr. going to be a superstar?

Wasn’t Xander Bogaerts going to be Boston’s Shortstop of the Future?

That was, by the way, not long after Jose Iglesias was going to be Boston’s Shortstop of the Future.

Now, the rapidly-rising Mookie Betts is the Phenom of the Moment, having zoomed through Portland and Pawtucket already this season before being called up to the Big Club.

And how are these highly-hyped hotshots faring?

Bradley’s been a Gold Glove centerfielder, but a brass bat hitter, with an average of just .220 and only one home run in 80 games.

Bogaerts is mired in a terrible slump. He batted a woeful .135 (13-for-96) in June and has been even worse in July, with just 2 hits in his first 20 at-bats.

As for Betts, he’s off to a 4-for-19 start (.211) and was caught stealing in his only attempt.

For some reason, Red Sox prospects — where have you gone, Lars Anderson, Red Sox Nation turns its lonely eyes to you, woe, woe, woe — all seem to be predicted to be headed to Cooperstown by overly optimistic baseball scribes.

In my experience — the 2014 season will be my 39th covering the NFL – most football writers, at least most of those who have covered the Patriots over the years, tend to take a more measured approach before jumping on the prospect bandwagon.